Christmas Bear Challenge
Salcey Forest, Northamptonshire.
Use the post code NN7 2HX for Sat Navs. Salcey Forest is a Forestry Commission site 18 minutes from Northampton and 9 minutes from Junction 15 of the M1. The closest train station is Northampton.
How far is the race?
You decide! The 3.3-mile loop at Salcey Forest means your race can be 5k or over 55k! You decide how many laps you're going to do on the day within the 6-hour time limit. If you're looking to cover a marathon distance you'll need to complete 8 laps (26.4 miles) and a half marathon will be 4 laps (13.2 miles!). This is a relatively flat course with minimal elevation changes.
Cost?
Early Bird fee (before 27/07/18 ) - £21 (£23 unaffiliated)
Standard fee (28/07/18 - 03/11/18) - £24 (£26 unaffiliated)
Late Fee - (04/11/18 - 26/11/18) £29 (£31 unaffiliated)
No entries on the day
There is an entry limit. Once the event gets down to the last places we'll endevour to make people aware through social media and emails (join the mailing list here!). Once the event is full a waiting list will be created. Contact info@bigbearevents.net for information on this.
You do have to pay to park (£4.00 at the time of writing). This money goes to the forest, it is a great space that needs money and this is their main revenue stream. That said, be a hero and car share, save money and the world!
Standard fee (28/07/18 - 03/11/18) - £24 (£26 unaffiliated)
Late Fee - (04/11/18 - 26/11/18) £29 (£31 unaffiliated)
No entries on the day
There is an entry limit. Once the event gets down to the last places we'll endevour to make people aware through social media and emails (join the mailing list here!). Once the event is full a waiting list will be created. Contact info@bigbearevents.net for information on this.
You do have to pay to park (£4.00 at the time of writing). This money goes to the forest, it is a great space that needs money and this is their main revenue stream. That said, be a hero and car share, save money and the world!
Is this event cupless?
Yes. Please read our page on cupless events if you haven't experienced it before. It's obviously good for the environment to reduce plastic use and general waste. Yes, you wont break a world record having to stop to fill a bottle of water or carry a hydration pack but over a marathon distance it would probably add less than a minute to your time. We will have water, isotonic drinks, tea and coffee and real Coca Cola for you, but to be clear - we wont supply disposable cups for drinks. If you'd like to purchase a foldable cup we have them for sale here
Course map/ course description
The course route will be published here shortly. You can see the conditions of the forest from the photos below, the pictures with competitors in were taken in April however, not December! Expect it to be muddy and grimy underfoot. It is over a varied terrain but on well trodden pathways, essential for this time of year in the forest to make it passable. There are no road crossings, as with most of our runs, however there are bridleways and cycle paths to be aware of. The forest itself is a wonderful backdrop for a few hours of running.
Location
